Prayer

Praying by Melissa Bube
Licensed under Creative Commons

I haven't really considered myself the praying type.  Sure, there are prayers said during many of the different religious services and events I've attended, but I considered these more of meditations for myself, even in Catholic and Protestant churches.  I never really thought about what prayers were or what the word even meant.  After reading this blog post from Deanna Vandiver, I've come to the conclusion that prayer is meaningful and I probably should become a praying type.  It would be a healthy thing to do.  Vandiver wrote about what a professor of hers taught her about prayer, which was:

There were really only three essential elements to any prayer, and they could be prayed through almost any life situation or stages of faith. The three elements are: 

Yes.
Thank you.
I love you.

She continued that this was a prayer she could pray, and I see it as a prayer I can pray as well. Yes, I'm experiencing life which makes me feel happy, sad, pain, and pleasure.  Thanks for such experiences, that I'm loved, and well provided for.  I love you family, friends, and interdependent web of all existence.  It's generic today, but it can be made more specific to situations as they arise.  I like that this approach to praying is so simple, to the point, and not offensive.